Watch out for crazy cab drivers
I grabbed a cab the other night after a stint at Rock for Hunger that took place in downtown Orlando on Saturday. After three days of partying between Martinifest and Anti Pop Music Festival I had no right to be behind a wheel, even if i didn't have a drop in me that day.
But of course I did, so Casey and I decided the responsible thing to do was to grab a cab home. There was one sitting right outside the BackBooth which worked out great. At least at first I thought so.
We pull out to Orange Avenue and Casey and I are chatting away about the show when Casey notices the cab driver hadn't put on the meter yet. Casey asks him to. The cab driver ignores Casey. Casey asks again, his voice much louder this time. The cabbie again ignores him. The third time there is an f-bomb thrown into the request and finally the cabbie answered, "$10 minimum."
We were almost at Church Street at this point and Casey made it clear either turn on the meter or let us out, the cabbie repeated $10 minimum and wouldn't stop. That's when Casey started screaming at the dude to pull over and let us out. We hit a red light thankfully because the guy really had no intention of letting us out I think. We jumped out down by City Hall. Good times.
We grabbed another cab and Casey vented to him but he really didn't seem to give a crap and looked as if he would had done the same thing if it already hadn't been done to us earlier. Casey said it's because the cab drivers in town are pissed over the pedicabbers and O-Cart folks being able to drive down Orange on weekends and they can't. I don't care what their reasons are, the guy was looking at kidnapping charges if he drove another inch. That was seriously one of the more disturbing moments I've been through in this town.
Has anyone else had this happen to them? I wasn't aware this was a problem but according to Casey it is. Someone really needs to speak up about this.